Control and indicating system for electric railways



Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,928

J. c. FIELD ET AL CONTROL AND INDICATING YSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS Filed Sept. 28, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Cah/ro/ l 7 Joseph Cf/fe/d firdlhandjoymum Jan. 3, 1928. 1,654,928

' J. c. FIELD ET AL CONTROL AND INDICATING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS Filed spt. 28, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lllll II II lllll II II Patented Jan. 3, 1928.

new) STATES 1,654,928 PATENTT'OFFVICE,

JOSEPH G. FIELD, OF ORANGE, NEW-JERSEY, AND FERDINAND ZOGBAUM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, O

NEVJ YORK, Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. V

CONTROL AND INDICATING SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

Application filed September tionalized electric railway and for indicat ing at a central control station thecondition of the controllingmechanisms.

The invention provides a system for sectionalized railways in which the third rail of each section is energized through a plurality of circuitbreakers disposedat inte vals along the track; Means is provided,

whereby the operator 'at the control station may open or close any circuit breaker with in the section under his supervision and at once receive an answer-back signal toindicate that the operation has been completed. Means is also providedwherebythe passage of an overload current through any circuit breaker will cause that breaker to be opened and will also automatically cause the other breakers feeding that particular section to be opened. 1

As an additional feature, the invention provides a plurality 01 emergency switches located at intervals along the track whereby the power may be cut oft from any track sec tion in case of wrecks or other emergencies. A special signal is provided at the control station to notify the attendant when the circuit breakers are opened due to the opera- ,tion of one of the emergency switches.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings which when joined together with Fig. 1 placed vertically at the lert and Fig. 2 horizontally at the right illustrate diagran'inuitically one embodimen of the invention. a i

Referring to the drawing, for the sake of clearness only one section of a double track sectionalized railway is shown. This section.

comprises two contact" conductors 5 and 6, such as third rails, trolley wires, or the like serving east and west-bound traiiic, respectively, and a common main ori'eeder circuit 7 which is energized by a source of current 8. The current from the feeder 7 is supplied as, 1923. Serial No. 665,307.

to the rails and 6 through a plurality of circuit breakers, the ireakers 9," 11 and 13 feeding the rail 6, and the breakers 10, 12 and 1 1 feeding the rail 5. The breakers 9 and 10 are located at the control station shown in Fig. 1 which is preferably at one end of the traeksection; The breakers 11 and 12 are preferably grouped near the center of the section, while the breakers 13 and 14 are located near the other end of the track section. Other track sections identical to that shown in the drawings may also be fed from the common feeder circuit 7.

he energizing current for the" third rail 6 may be traced from the source of current 8, through 'l eederY, conductor 15, contact arm 16 ot solenoid 17, resistance 18 inshunt of overload relay 19, part of the current passing through frelay 19, conductor 20 to rail 6. Similarly, the current through. the circuit breaker 11 may be traced from the source of current 8, through feeder 7, conductor 21, contact arm 22 of solenoid 2, resistance 24 in shunt oil overload relay 25, part of the current passing through relay 25, conductor 26 to rail 6. In the same manner, current is also fed to the rail 6 through the breaker 18 and is fed to the .rail 5 through breakers 10, 12 and 14. The circuit breaker 9 is normally maintained inthe closed position'shown in the drawing by nieans'ot a latch 27, controlled by a tripping magnet 28, which latch engagesa corresponding catch on the core of solenoid .17. The tripping magnet 28 is controlled h a threeposition polarized relay 29 and is operableover a circuit extending from one side of battery 30, through conductor 31, tripping magnet 28, conductor 32, contact-arm 33 of solenoid 17, conductor 34;, contact 35 and armature of relay 2-9 to the other side of battery 30. The solenoid 17 is controlled by a relay" 36 which in turn is controlled by the polarized relay 29. The energizing circuit of therelay 36 extends from one side of battery 30, through the winding of relay 36, conductor 37, contact arm 33 of solenoid 17, conductor 38, contact 39 and armature of relay 29 to the other side of battery 80. Upon the operation of the relay 36 an energizing'cirouit is established for the solenoid 17 which extends from one side of battery 30 through the armature and contact' tO of relay 36, conductor 41, wind ing of solenoid 17 conductor 12, to the other side of battery 30. The circuit breaker 11 is provided with a tripping magnet l4 corresponding to the magnet 28 of the circuit breaker 9. This tripping magnet is controlled by a three-position polarized control relay 455, the energizing circuitof the tripping magnet including a local battery 4L6 in a manner similar to that described above. The solenoid 23 is controlled by a relay 17 which is also controlled by the polarized relay 45. All the other circuit breakers 10, 12, 13 and 14 are equipped with appa ratus identical to that described in connec tion with the circuit breakers 9 and. 11. For the sake of elearness, the following" descrip tion of the operation of the system has been grouped under three separate headings which treat, respectively, with the control and indication, the automatic control and indication, and the emergency control and in dication.

Control and indication.

A plurality of red and green signal lann'is are provided at the control station to indicate to the attendant the condition of the various circuit breakers. The lamps and 51 are allotted to the circuit breaker 9 and the lamps 52 and 53 to the circuit breaker 10. Similarly, the lamps 54 and 55 are allotted to the circuit breaker 11 and lamps 56 and 57 to circuit breaker 12, while lamps 58, 59 and 60, 61 indicate the position of breakers l3 and 14, respectively. One or the other of each of these pairs of lamps is normally lighted, the lighting of a red lamp in dicating that a particular circuit breaker is closed, and the lightin of a green lamp indicating; that its associated breaker is open. In condition of the circuit shown in the drawing, it is assun'ied that all of the circuit breakers are closed and, accordingly, that all of the red lamps are lighted. The lamps 50, 51, 52 and 53, because of their proximity to the circuit breakers 9 and 10, are controlled directly from auxiliary contacts on these breakers. Thus, when the circuit ln'eaker 9 is closed, the red lamp 5!) is energized over a circuit extending from one side of local battery (32, through conductor (33. lamp 50, (2011(lU0l01 (rt, contact arm ('35 0t solenoid 1T, conductors 65 and (S7 to the other side of battery (32. It now the circuit breaker l) opened, the red lamp 50 will be extinguished and the green lamp 51 will be energized over a circuit extending "from one side of battery 62, through conifluctor (38, lamp 51, conductor Gal, contact arm 65 o'lsolenoid 17 which is now in its downward po sition, condi'ietors (3S) and to the other side of battery 62. The circuits of the lamps 52 and 53. which indicate the position ol. the circuit breaker 10, are similar to the circuits of the lamps 50 and 51, respectively.

relay '7? controls lan'ips so and 5. Similarly, relay '13 controls lan 5b and 5!), and

relay 'T- l; controls lamps (it) and (31. Since the circuit breaker 11 is closed, the polarized relay 71 energized over a circuit extending from the positive side 01 control battery '75, through conductors To and TY, contact arm 78 ot' solenoid 2 conductors '2'!) and St), 'windin 's oi polarized relay 71, conductors 8i and 0;? to the negative side of battery 75. ifilllCO the current to erating the polarized rc lay Tl is oil positive polarity, the arn'iature oi this relay attracted to lower windin;;', lighting the lamp 5%. over a circuit extending from one side ol battery (52, through conductor (35, ttl'll'llllllt) of relay 71, lamp 5-l, conducti'ir '33 to the other side oit battery now the circuit breaker 11 is opened, the polarized relay 71. will be energized over a circuit extending from the negative side of battery 83, through conductors S l and 85, contact arm ot' solenoid 23 which now in its lower position, conductors 7t) and so, \vindings oil polarized relay 71, comluctors 81 and 82 to the positive side ot battery iii-l. Since the current operating the polarized relay 71 is ot 'i'iegative polarity, the armature 01: this relay is attracteijl to its upper winding, extinguishing the lamp and lighting the lamp over a circuit ending; ilirom one side ot battery 62, throusj h conductor (58, lamp armature oi relay Tl conductor 33, to the other side o'lf battery (32. The lighting ol' the urcen lamp at once indiat to the atteiulant at the control station but the circuit ll'ttllitl 11 has been moved to be open msilicn. The operation ot the polarizeil relays ill and T4 as:-:ociulcd, re- SlNCi'lYLl), with the circuit breakers 12, 1;; and 14: is similar t that described above in connection with relay Tl.

.ln accordance with a 'l'calure ot the invention the attendant at the control station may open or close any circuitln'eaircr within the track section mulcr his supervision. This feature is provided in order to allow the attendant at the control station to open a circuit breaker which may be under repair at that point. Since the brcaluirs i) and 10 are located at the control tati n. it sumed that these breakers may be operated manually by means of the usual harulles plOVlKleCl on the cores of the trip nia niets. The outlying" circuit breakers, however. are controlled electrically by means of control l'reys located at the control station. and it is to be understood that the circuit ln'eakcrs t) and 10 may also be controlled in this main ner if desired. Circuitbreaker 11 may be ill) llll

opened or closed by means of the control key 87 and circuit breaker 12 by the control key 88, while circuit breakers 13 and 1 1 are controlled by keys 89 and 90,respectively. It, for example, the attendant at the control sta ion wishes to open thecircuit breaker 11, he will simply throw key 87 to the right, thus operatin control relay of circuit breaker 11 over a circuit extending from the positive side of battery 75, through conductors 76 and 91, key 87, contact 92 of con trol relay 93, conductor 94;, winding-s of polarized control relay d5, conductor 82 to the negative side 01? battery 75. The operation of relay 15 by current of positive polarity operates the trippingmagnet 14 over a circuit extending from one side of battery ettl, through conductor 104, magnet 14;, con ductor 105, contact arm 106 of solenoid 23,

conductor 10?, contact 108 and armature of relay to the other side of battery 16, thus opening the circuit breaker 11. The key 87 is held in its operated position long enough to permit, these circuit connections to be completed and is then released and allowed to return to the neutral position shown in the drawing. If it is now desired to close the circuit breaker 11, the control key 87 is thrown to the left, thus operating the polarized control relay 45 with current of negative polarity, over a circuit extending from the negative side of battery 83, through conductors 8d and 95, control key 87, contact 92 of polarized relay 93, conductor 94:, windings of polarized relay 15, conductor 82 to the positive side of battery 83. In the same manner the circuit breakers 12, 13 and 1st may be opened or closed by the control keys 89, 88 and 90, respectively, and upon such operation of any circuit breaker an answer-back signal will be given by the colored lamps at the control station,as described above. 7 1

Automatic control and indication.

The automatic control and indication circuit is arranged so that if any individual circuit breaker opens on ground or overload, all the other circuit breakers feeding that particular section will be opened at the same instant, thereby cutting the power entirely off one complete track section. If an excess current passes through the relay 19 of circnit breaker 9 due to a ground or overload, this relay is operated and its contacts 97 and 98 are closed. The tripping magnet 28 of circuit breaker 9 is thereupon operated over a circuit extending from one side of battery 30, through conductor 41-2, contact 98, contact arm 33 of solenoid 17,Tconductor 32, trip magnet 28, conductor 31 to the other side of battery 30. The operation of the trip magnet 28 opens the circuit breaker. At the same time, the polarized control relay 93 at the control station is operated over a circuit extending from the positive side of battery 7 5, through conductors 76 and 99, contact 9'7 of overload relay 19, conductors 100 and 200, relay 130, conductors 102 and 82 to the negative side of battery 7 5. Relay 130 attracts its armature closing the following circuit to operate polarized relay 93, positive side or battery 75, conductors 76, 201, con

tact 132 of key 128, conductor 137, armature and front contact of relay 130, conductors 202, 101, relay 93, conductors 102, to nega tive side of battery 75. Since the current operating the polarized relay is of posi tive polarity, the armature of. this relay will be attracted to its lower winding, thus opening contact 92 and closing contact 103. T he ng of contact 103 completes an operal'in circuit for the polarized control relay oi. the circuit breaker 11 which extends tron'i the positive side of battery 75, through conductors 7 6 and 91, contact 103 of polarized relay 93, conductor 94;, windings o't polarized relay 4C5, conductor 82to the negative side oi? battery 7 5. Since the current operating the polarized control relay 15 is of positive polarity the armature of this relay will be attracted to its lower winding, thus operating the tripping magnet 4A over a circuit extending from one side of battery 46, through conductor 10%, tripping magnet 4+1, conductor 105, Contact arm. 106 of solenoid 23, conductor 107, contact 108 of relay 4-5 to the other side of battery 16, thus opening the circuit breaker 11. the operation of relay 93 also closes contact 110 which causes the opening of the circuit breaker 13 over the conductor 111. If an excess current passes through relay of circuit breaker 11, this relay is operated and its contacts 97, 98 are closed. The trip magnet a l of circuit breaker 11 is thereupon operated over a circuit extending from one side of battery 46, through conductor 104-, magnet 44, conductor 105, contact arm 100 oi. solenoid 23, conductor 107, contact 98 of relay 25 to the other side of battery 40. The operation of the trip n'ia-gnet 44 opens the circuitbreaker. At the same time the relay 130 at the control station is operated over a circuit extending from the negative side of battery 83,'conductors 8%, 203, contact 200, relay 130, conductor 102 to the positive side of battery 83. Relay 130 operates, operating relay 93 as previously described, and also closes the circuit of polarized relay 29 in parallel with relay 93. Relay 29 operates the trip magnet. of circuit breaker 9, and relay 93 operates the trip magnet 0t breaker 13. Similarly, the operation of any one of the circuit breakers 10, 12 or 14, due to ground or overload, will operate the polarized control relay 112 at the control station which will'complete circuits for operating the control relays of the other circuit break- 97 of relay 24, conductors204c, 119,

ers associated with the tTtlCli section opening these breakers in the manner described Emergencg con/"rd 77.0 ziarZ z'ruf'irni.

The emergency control and indication circuit tor the purpose oi cutting out individ ial tract: rectioi'is in case o't it :c cs and other emergencies and is accomplished by the llttl'ltitll. operation oi. emergency push button switches which may be located any desired distance apart along the railroad track. Two such switches are preterably grouped. together, such as switches 113. 11-1 and 115 116. The switch .1 113 115 serve to open. the circui" breakers i i, 11 and 123 while the switches i and 116 control the circuit breakers 1t). 11;? and l-it. Thus the power may be cut oil entirely from, say the east-bound track, while west-hound traitic may proceed in the usual manner.

The operation of the einere'a-incy syst'cn'i at the control station is much the same as the automatic operation d scribed above. with the addition of an indie ting relay tor ac-h ot the track sections 53 and (3. ill, in the event of a wreck on the line, it desired to cut oil the current t the trick section (3 this may be accomplished by closing either and ot the push bn c'on switches 11?) or 1 .5. It the switch 113 happens to be ac: rest to the scene of the disaster, the closure of this switch will complete a circuit for the operation of relay 130 at the control station, this circuitextending iliroin the positive side ot b; t- "[53 through conductors Tti and, 11.7, switch 11?), comluctors 1155;. 119 and 200 relay t lt), conductors 1.02 and 32 to the negative side of battery The operation of relay 130 operates the relays 29 and. 93 as described which in turn operate their trip magn-rts 155% to :3 1- respectively. At the same time he control. relay oi? the circuit breaker 13 is also operated as described. An indicating relay is provided at the control station for each otf the tract: sections 5 and (S. The indicating relay is associated with the hack section (3 and the relay 122-3 with the melt section The operation of the relays 12:2 and 123 will light iiulicatinelamps 12-1. and 125, respectiively which are separate From the indicating lainps described above. 'lhese indicating lamps are tor "the purpose of showing the operator at the control station that the circuit briali rs feeding a certain track section have been opened by the ope ration of an emergency push button switch and not by the operation of the automatic overload circuit. ll hen the push button switch 11.3 is operated described abor-e, a circuit is completed tttr operating the indicating relay 122 over a circuit e2:- tcnding from the positive side 01 battery 75, through conductors 7G and 117, switch 113, conductors 118, 1.19 and 200, 205 and 2116.

windings of polarized r lay 122 conducttn-s 102 and 82 to the negative side o't battery The operation of the polarized relay 122 by current of positive polarity closes its contact 127, thus lighting the emergency lamp 121- over a circuit exteinling tron] one side of battery (32, through condtu'tor (13. contact 121' 01 relay 122. lamp 121, conductor 138 to the other side 01'' battery 62. Relay 122 may also be operated in the same manner by the closure of the emergency switch 115. Both the polarized relay 93 and the polarized relay 122 will remain in the position last operated until restored to their normal positions by the operation ol a restoring key 125%. Similarly, the polarized relays 1i and 12 1 will remain in their operated posizions until re tored by the operation ot. a :estorinc key 1:29. Relay 130 also acts to restore 'iolarizced relays 93 and 122 and relay 1.31 also acts to restore relays 112 and 12 3. Assuming; that the rel ys 93 and 112 are in their operated pos'lions with their arciatures attracted to their lower windings, respeetively the o iicration of ltey 12h opens contact; 1232 and closes contacts 133 and 13- The closure 01 contact 31:3 operates the relay 130 over a circuit extending from the ncgati g side o1? battery through conductors 8-1 and 1353, contact 1 $1?) of key 128, winding of relay 1330. conductors 102 and 82 to the positive side ot battery 8?). The operation of relay 1530 closes its contact 136, thus opera ting: relay 93 over a. circuit extending from the negative side of battery 83 through conductors 8-1 and 35, contact 13-11- of key 128, conductor 137, armature and contact. 136 of relay 13o, condoctors 2 101, windings of relay 122 conductor 10;, conductmr 82 to the positive side of battery 83. Contact 133 of key 128 closes a circuit to restore relay The operation of the polarized relays 911 and 122 by current of negative polarity causes the arn'iatures of these relays to be attracted to their upper windi' as and to return them to the normal. position she in in the drawing. With the return of relay 122 to the normal position shown in the drawine the Q11l(1- ge cy lainp 12-1 is extinguished. In a like manner, the operation oi restoring key 12%) operates the rcstonng relay 131 and serves to return the polarized rcla 's 112 and 123 to normal in which condition it will again be ready to respond to the ope ation of the einci ency push buttons 11-1 and 116. Since it is obvious that many changes may be inane in this system without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention it is not intended to limit the inrention to the specific construction herein shown and described cxcept as defined by the appended claims.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A control and indicating system coinprising a central station and a plurality of circuit breakers remote theretrom, an electric conductor sumlied with current through said circuit breakers, means at said central station for selectively operating said circuit breakers, means including a relay at said central station for controlling the op eration of said circuit breakers, means controlled by the passage of a predetermined amount of current through any of said circuit breakers for operating said relay, means at said central station for giving a distinctive signal upon the operation of any circuit breaker, means including a switch re mote from said central station for controlling the operation of said relay, and means at said central station controlled by the operation of said switch for giving an additional indication thereof.

A control and indicating system comprising a central station and a plurality of circuit breakers remote therefrom, an elec tric conductor supplied with current through said circuit breakers, means at said central station for selectively operating said circuit breakers, means at said central station for giving a distinctive indication of such 0poration, an overload relay associated With each of said circuit breakers and adapted to be operated by the passage of a predetermined current through the conductor, a polarized relay at said central station, means controlled by the operation of any of said overload relays to energize the polarized relay with one polarity, means controlled by said polarized relay for operating said circuit breakers, means including an electric switch remote from said central station to energize With the same polarity'said polarized relay, a second polarized relay at said central station energized With one polarity by the operation of said switch, a distinctive signal controlled by said second polarized relay, a restoring key at said central station, and means controlled by the operation of said key for energizing the polarized relays with opposite polarity and thereby returning said polarized relays to their normal positions.

In witness whereof, We hereunto subscribe our names this th day of September, A, D. 1923.

JOSEPH C. FIELD. FERDINAND ZOGBAUM. 

